Improvement in the manufacture of safety-matches



PAT NTQF error. EYEaoF NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROJVIEYMENT INkTHEj MANUFACTUR'E OF SAFETV-MATCH ES.

I Specification forming part of Letters Patent. No. 101,641, dated April 5, 1870. I I

To all whomitflnay concern I Be it known that LL. OTTQP. MEYER, Newtown, Fairfield county, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Safety-Matches; and I do hereby declare that the following is a fullandexact description of the saidinvention. I V

' Priorto these improvements, Letters Patent of the United States, hearing date of J une 25,

1867, for improvements in'the manufacture of safety-matches were granted tome. Since'the grantof said patent I'have made various experiments for the purpose of making the safetymatch more perfect in resistance to moisture, and my experiments finally have led to satisfactory results. For said purpose'I' have tried, by way of experiment, strong glues, also the best isinglass, instead of the gelatine named in my former patent'as ingredient for the match compound, but without attaining the'desired efi'ect. ever, some of the strong glues sufliciently pure and good for mixing with my match compound, and of the advantage of being cheaper than the gelatine but Igive now the preference to French white gelatine of first quality. Said French gelatine veryreadil y dissolves in water, and remains liquid at a low temperature; hence it is very easily mixed, and insures compactness of compound, but requires, per haps more than any othergelatine, protection against moisture. l 7 v p I am aware that, in the manufacture of some phosphorous matches,varnishes are employed for producing protecting coats against moistv ure; but varnishes made by solvents, as turpentine or similar highly-inflammablefluids, are objectionable, and although varnishes made by alcohol are less objectionable, stillsuchvarnishes are of little benefit to my match, since the coating cannot be done sufficiently thick without injuring the match in its inflammability on the prepared surfaces. .Moreover,

varnishes, if applied to my match, will cause smoke or smell, and their application to the compound of chlorate-of potassa is objection able.

-In the course of my experiments, I-have tried coating with wax, and in various ways, for the purpose of producing a perfect coat, and so thin as not to injure the infiammability I found, how: i

of the match. By wayof experiments I have subjected my safety-match (being manufactured as described in my former patent) to a heat sufficiently high to melt some of the wax attached to the stick, it being held in such position that the melted wax could run over the match compound and coat it; but this mode is not recommendable."

For the purpose of better securing the desired thinness of the wax coat,'I made wax mixtures, of which I will name but the fol-' lowing:

No.1. Rain-water 87 Bicarbonate, of soda 1 White bees-wax. 12

Parts by weight...... 100

p l No. 2.

Rain-water 85.6 Liquid silicate of soda, 39 B. 2.4; White bees-wax...... 12.0

0 Parts by weight 100.0

7 No. 3. I V

Rain-water 85.5

Bicarbonate of soda 0.5 Olive-oil or bees-wax 3.5 Paraffine-wax of 133 congealing-point. 10.5

Parts by weight 100.0

The ingredients of the above mixtures, when heated to about 155 to 180 Fahrenheit, and then well shaken, will produce a milk of wax, applicable either cold or warm, for coating matches. Each mixture may have its quantum of water reduced or increased for producing a coat more thick or thinner.

After the matches have been dipped in said milk of wax, I dry them, first at 'a moderate heat, and afterward expose them for a few seconds to a heat sufficiently high to melt the deposited wax. However, the use of. milk of wax for wax-coating matches is set aside by me since my success with a mode more simple and better in results. v I

My experiments finally enabled me to prono reaction on the match compound, )roducesno smoke orrsmell, burns bright, and has also the advantage over other waxes in point of cheapness.

For the process of dipping the matches in said parafdne-wax I, tried the following conditions: i I, 1

First, paraffine-wax heated from 136 to 230 Fahrenheit, but found the best results when it was heated only a few-degrees above its congealing-point. r j

Second, the depth for immersion in molten wax from one-quarter to five-eighths of aninch but I found one-half an inch depth the best, except in cases where the matches are. heated as high as the temperature of the molten wax, which will cause the wax to rise on the sticks by capillary attraction. In such cases the matches are dipped no deeper than to allow the level of the molten wax to come just a little above the match compound.

Third,cmatches' whose sticks were previously (before tipping with match compound) dipped in paraffine-wax, and matches whose sticks were not previously dipped in paraffine-wax and I found the best result with matches whose sticks were not previously dipped in wax, but which were clean.

Fourth, perfectly dry matches, preparatory for the process of wax-coating, heated to from to 200 Fahrenheit, but found the best result when they were heated from to 142 Fahrenheit. Fifth, the process of dipping in wax by one dip, or by two or three in succession, either all in highly-heated wax, or the first dip in highly-heated and the last dip in wax of low heat; but. Iffound the best result with one dip. Sixth, duration of time for immersion from a few seconds to about fifteen seconds, but found from five to eight seconds sufficient. Seventh, wax-dipping pan constructed to concentrate hot air above the molten wax, but found a common dipping-pan answering just as well..,

About the conditions above alluded to as found the best, greater precision will be found in the following table Variation. A. B. O. D. E.

Temperature of matches, in degrees of Fahrenheit 80 Temperature of the molten wax, in degrees Fahrenheit 142 141 140 1450 7 I38 Depth of wax in dipping-pan, in inches a g 55% Duration of time-for immersion in molten wax, in seconds.. 8 7 7 b 5 Temperature of atmosphere in dipping-room, or in proximity of dipping operation, in degrees Fahrenheit 80 90 100 110 80-110 I prefer, as being the most. convenient, the

above-stated variation B. r Theair in the dipping-room ought to be dry, and I found it best that the temperature (at least in the proximity of the dipping operation) should not be below 80 Fahrenheit, but may be considerably higher. 90 Fahrenheit is preferred by me. A temperature from 80 to 110 will answer for properlycooling down the. newly-coated matches. 7

As regards the wax-dipping pan, it may be heated to the required degrees by hot air or by hot water. I V p To keep up the desired temperature of the air or water for heating the dipping-pan and the supplying wax-melting pot, gas-flames will be found most suitable, as being easily adjusted.

To keep up the right height of wax in the dipping-pan during operation, a stream of molten wax of required temperature is to flow into the dipping-pan, and at the properheight in the dipping-pan thereought to be an aperture for the surplus wax to run off.

The mode of operation is as follows: The matches are immersed in the molten wax as deep as to touch the bottom of the pan. The withdrawing of the matches from the molten wax is to be done slowly, .If it is done quickly, much surplus wax will adhere to the matches. As soon as the matches are fairly lifted out of the molten wax they require to be quickly turned over, so as to bring the match compound upward, and to remain in such position atleast three to five seconds, in order that the surplus wax may not thicken on the match compound, but run down onthe sticks. i V

The duration of time, as above'stated, for immersion of matches in'molten wax is to be counted from the moment the match-points enter the molten wax till they leave it. The time for it may be denoted by a striking-ham.- mer worked by a mechanical movement.

For the mode of wax-coating matches by dipping in molten wax, the matchsticks require no previous dipping in wax, nor is it re,- quired, nor good inprinclple, to burn or char coal the ends-of thematch sticks.

Wax-coating the match compound and tipping the sticks with wax is done by onefoperation, savin'gla'jbonandcausing the advan; tage that the match compound adheres firmer to the sticks, and that'the matchcompound may be used more economically, and that higher temperature-may be employed for hastening the drying of the match compound.

Although matches coated with wax by dif ferent ways may show no difference in outside appearance, still, if their quality be tested, the I matches coated by molten wax, and in a manner as described above, will show great superiority over others. v I As regards my match compound, no alteration is needed on acco'untot' coating with pa'r- Compound. No. 1. No. 2. No. 3. No. 4.

Chlorate of potassa 56 56 52 46 Gelatine or glue 22 20 18 18 Pumice-stone 22 24. 30 36 Parts by weight. 100 100 100 100 I prefer now compound No. 3. The match compound may be colored as described in my former patent. To mix these ingredients, I dissolve the gelatine in a hot-water bath, having previously soaked the gelatine in cold water-if French gelatine, three parts of water to one part of gelatine; but the gelatines and glues found in market are not of equal dryness,and in order to get the match compound of correct proportions it is best to test the gelatine or glue as to their percentage of water. The gelatine employed by me, and of which I have above stated the proportions for the compound, if exposed to a dry heat of 212 Fahrenheit for three-quarters of an hour, loses twelve per cent., if exposed to said heat for half an hour longer no further loss of weight is perceptible. If the gelatine or glue is thicker than one-twentieth of an inch, more time for drying may be required, till, in half an hour, no loss in weight of any account occurs. Only samples of the gelatine or glue need to be subjected to said test or drying process; and if the loss is more or less than twelve per cent., the proportions can get adjusted accordingly in order to produce the required consistency. The following table may be of some assistance.

In reference to percentage of water found in gelatine or glue, the proportions of gelatine or glue for my above stated match compound will be' I For compound-- No. 1. No. 2. Nos. 3 and 4.

Gelatine containing fourteen per cent. water. 22.51 20.47 18.42 Gelatine containing twelve per cent. water. 22.00 20.00 18.00 Gelatine containing ten per cent. water 21.51 19.56 17.60 I Gelatine containing eight per cent. water. 21.04. 19.13 17.22 Gelatine containing six per cent. water 20.60 18.72 16.85 Gelatine containing four per cent. water 20.17 18.33 16.50 Gelatine containing two per cent. water 19.76 17.96 16.16 Gelatine dried by above-described process. 19.36 17.60 15.84

That thematch compound may be of a good compactness and have a good surface, and be most suitable for wax-coating, it is desirable that the tipping with match compound be done in a sufficiently warm room, or that the dipping-pan be warmed in order to keep the match compound in a good melted condition.

Directly after the matches have been tipped with match compound they may be exposed to a temperature of about 100 to 120 Fahrenheit for about half an hour; and then, for hastening the process of drying, they may be exposed to a higher temperatureup to about 200 Fahrenheit. The whole drying process may be done in about one hour; but matches whose sticks, previously to tipping with match compound, have been dipped inwax cannot be exposed to such high heat, else the previously tipping with wax will be wasted or injured, The matches tipped, with match compound and dried, and at the proper temperature, are to be' dipped in molten wax, as described above, whilethey are yet in the dipping-frames.

1 I- do notclaim' to have invented a new varnish or coating; but I claim that the various modes heretofore described and set forth for coating safety-matches with wax are new and useful in the manufacture of said matches. I

do not embrace in my claim for a patent the 7 I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, subordinate to Hyerpes and my herebefore-said Letters Patent, is'-v Certain modes of coating safety-matches, substantially as herein described, and for the: purpose herein set forth. J

' r L. OTTO P. MEYER.

Witnesses: 1 W

HENRY SANEORD, ELI O. BARNUM. 

